Herman r



H-. R. BERNDT.

APPLICATION FlLED`0CT.`25,1920.

Patented Jan. 31, 1922'.

TES

Ablurr-n]v STA HERMAN in. KMBERNDT,

or cmcAedinmNoIs application inea octoberaa 1920. seria; No,v 419,240.,`

To all whomct may concern:

Be it known that l, HERMAN R. BERNDT,

a citizen -of the United States,residin fat Chicago, in the county ofCook and tate Aof Illinois, have invented new anduseful lmprovementsinSleds, of which the'folj lowing is a specification.- f

' This invention relatesl toy sleds and` an object of the invention isto provide a sled in which the `top or platform is yieldably connectedwith the runners, and also to provide shock absorbing meansestablishingk connection between the top or platform and runners wherebyshocks incident to the travel of the sled over rough places Vor causedwhen the sled is thrown on ahillside for coasting, willbe absorbed.

in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawingskwherein.:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved Sled.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through the sled taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectionv through the sled. y Fig. 5 isa fragmentary detail showing connection of spring. f

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 and 2 indicate therunners of the sle'd which comprise the usual wood body portions 3and'metal runners 4 on the surface engaging edges of the runners.runners 1 and 2 are connected, near their forward ends, by a crossbar 5,the ends of which are rounded and seated in suitablecircular openings 6in the runners 2 and 3. The rear crossbrace or bar 7 also has its endsrounded, and seated inthe openings 8 formed in the bodies 3 of therunners `1 and 2. Suitable fastening means, such as; screws 9 extendthrough the braces 5k and crossbar 9 is connected to the crossbracev bybolts 12', two of which are, preferably, employed. The bolts 12 fitsnugly in openings 13 extending through the crossbar 9r and fit looselyin openings 14 formed in the erossbrace 5, as clearly shown. 1n Figs. 2

specification cf Letters Patent. f

Fig. 2 is longitudinal sectionthroughk the sled. f

The.

' ratendaan. 31,1922.

and 4 of the `drawings,lt'o ypermit llimited rocking movement of thecrossbrace 9 and of the platform or top 11 relative to the crossbrace 5.Vertical movement of the rcrossbar'Q"relative'to the ycrossbraceg'is lprevented by the washers 15 and nuts 1,6.

The'platform'or top 11 connected, near lits ije`arend, toy asupporting'block or baril? which extends between thejrunnersfland 2having .its ends, 'facing the runners', spaced slightly `from therunners, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The block 17 ex-Ltends abo've the upper edges of the runners 1 and 2 and haslongitudinally extending projections 18 on the ends of its portion whichnormally vrests aboveithe upper edges of thefrunners, to accommodate theside Other objects of the invention will appear f rails 19 of thetop orplatform structure which kside rails are slightly thinner than `the mainslats of the platform or top 11.

The under surfaces of the extensions 18 are rounded as k'shown at 20yand are adapted for moving into cutout portions 21 when the platformmoves downwardly towards the runners. Angle plates 22 are carried by therunnersl and 2 and their inner ends project beyond the inner sides ofthe runners and are perforated to permit connection there- Vwlthof theupper ends of shock absorbing springs 23. The lower ends of the springsV23 are connected to the p-lates 24 which are attached to the undersurface or edge of the block 17 near each end and have their endsprojecting beyond the edges of the block and perforated 'to permitconnection thereto lof the lower ends of the springs 23. A pair ofsprings 23 is positioned at each end of the block 17, one upon each sideof the block, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and thesesprings are hung so that they lwill incline inwardly towards the sidesof the bloclras they extend downwardly andV also incline away from theinner surfaces of the runners 1 and 2, adjacent which they aremounted-.as they extend downwardly, thus providing a shock absorbingresilient suspension for the lrear end of the platform or top 11, which,owing to the position of the bolts 12 in the enlarged openings 14, willpermit alimited pivotal movement of the itop or platform 11 lrelative tothe runners 1 .and2 for absorbing shocks incident to the travel of thesled over rough places and consequently cushion the riding ofthe sled.

The rounding ofthe under surface of the extensions 18 areprovided toprevent pinch-1 they get beneath the outer ing or crushing of a childsfingers should portionsA of these extensions. 'Y

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing it will be apparent that an improved sled 11215 .beenprovidedwherein the child'supporting platform is yieldably mounted.V for ecushioning the travel of the' sled and pre? venting the transmission ofshocks to the platform from the runners and also that a vsled of thisnature has been provided which can he manufactured at a relatively 10Wcost, being Vsimple and economical in construction.

It is, of course, to be understood that thel invention may beconstructed in Various other manners and the parts associated indifferent relations and, therefore,l do not desire to be'limited in anymanner except as set forth in the claim hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention what l claim is:

In a sled, runners, a platform, means connecting said platform adjacentits forward end to said runners to permit limited pivotal movement 0fthe platform relative to thevrunners, a cross block attached to saidplatform adjacent its rear end and eX- tending between said runners,springs connected to said runners and to said block for yieldablysupporting the rear ,end of the platform in its Ynormal position, saidsprings arranged in pairs at each end of said cross block and one uponeach side of thercross block. n

In testimony whereof aiiiX my signature.

' HERMAN BER-NDT.

